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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Chris Murphy Receives 2015 Ian Ash Award

Chris Murphy is the recipient of the 2015 Ian Ash Memorial Award. Chris, with the help of his wife Pat, certainly “gave selflessly to the sport of running and through it to the community at large – as did Ian.”

Below is some of what Art Meaney said at the presentation of the award:

Chris Murphy is certainly worthy of recognition. He was a popular Physical Education Teacher for many years in St.John's and encouraged and coached many young athletes who went on to success in track and field. He was President of St. John's Athletics Club, the most active and successful Newfoundland running club of its time. He was also a very fine runner himself with over a dozen sub 60 minute Telys to his credit.

But he is best known as one of the most competent and popular Race Directors in the history of our sport. Year after year during the 1990s and well into this century, with the help of his wife Pat, he organized and directed many races including high profile events such as the Mews 8km and the Shoppers 1/2 Marathon. With the help of his sidekick Danny Dodd, he made post-race receptions hilarious events assigning nicknames to runners that people still remember – for example, Joan Bulgin was the Marathon Queen; Joe Delurey, the White Knight; Peter Browne, the Legal Beagle; Peter Power, the Guardian; and Art Meaney, El Guido.

By keeping the spirit and tradition of road racing alive and well, Chris Murphy and Pat laid the foundation for the wonderful running boom we now have in our province. He remains a mentor and inspiration to all the road race directors who have followed in his wake.